A brief guide to Ural (aka Uralmoto) 750cc ohv motorbikes.
This site is not intended to give a detailed history of Russian motorcycles,
but should, with luck, allow you to easily identify the various models.
Ural bikes are built in Russia and are very much still in production in
the town of Irbit on the edge of the Ural mountains.
The Ural 750 replaced the 650 in about 2000, they have only ever been
marketed as Ural or Ural Moto and were never Cossacks or Nevals

Although like the Dnepr the Ural has always
been best known as a sidecar combination there has always been a steady
supply of solo models. This one is a 2001 solo marketed as the Redstar.
There is also a Northstar which is exactly the same apart from the seat
and the exhaust. An excellent, if a little slow traditional motorbike
for commuting, touring (slowly), and just generally have a bit of fun
with. Solo production stopped from Jan 2007

Ural are best known for the sidecar combinations.
The change from 650 to 750 in about 2000 has transformed the Ural range,
the engine was stroked and strengthened not simply over bored to 750.
The Dalesman seen above comes with leading link forks as standard. The
same bike was available for a couple of years with standard telescopic
forks as seen on the earlier 650 models. The tele forked version is known
as the roustabout.

The Ural 750cc engine and how to identify it.

The general look of the Ural engine is rounded and soft, with no sharp
angles.
The rocker cover to the left shows one of the two different covers fitted.
The other is very similar but without the sunken band running horizontally.

The timing cover which can be found on the bike by looking back between
the two frame down tubes at the front of the bike is tall and rounded
towards the top. It nearly always has the Ural logo cast in to it

The common Carburetors found on 750cc Ural motorbikes
Both the carburetors below have been fitted as standard to Ural 750s,
and both are OK although not perfect.

Pictured on the left is the K68, which is OK, it runs a little rich
most of the time, and requires frequent adjustment to stay perfectly
in tune. These look identical to the K68 fitted to late 650cc Urals
but they are not the same. So don't go swapping them from one to another.

The Keihin carburetor on the right was fitted to pass ever more stringent
emission regulations. It's generally a good carb, but needs rejetting
from the standard to avoid overheating at high engine loads.
The Keihin, must be kept clean and the jets need regular blowing out,
especially the ones that can be seen in the carb throat if the air filter
pipes are removed.

Two 12 volt Alternators, one very good, one very very bad.

When the Ural 750 was launched this
alternator which had proved completely useless on the 650cc was standard
fitment. It has earned the nick name, "the hand grenade" and
with good reason.
Take a really good look at it, make sure you can recognise it easily and
if you see one on a ural you own, replace it soon.
This alternator, can and often does stop dead. It is driven by the cam
shaft gear, which in turn is driven by the crank shaft gear. Unfortunately
these two gears can not stop dead, but they can shatter.

The alternator above is the solution to all the problems of the previous
Russia alternator. It is made by Nippon Denso, and has a rubber cush
drive between it and the gears. Totally reliable, one will fail one
day, but so far non have. The good news is these will fit straight on
as a direct replacement for the hand grenade unit. You do need to slightly
modify the wiring, so get instructions if you are swapping them. All
Urals made after Jan 2005 and sold in the UK have these alternators.

Body work and frame.

On the whole all body work including
the tank, seats and mudguards are the same as the 650cc Ural bikes. All
Ural sidecars have an opening boot, and all Dnepr sidecars have a boot
accessed by moving the seat forward

The latest 750cc solo bikes have changed
to Piolli forks, with new fork mounted mudguard. The brake and wheel are
the same but the spindle is very different

Specification changes during 2006 for
Ural 750cc

From mid 2006 all Urals sold in the UK
have the new exhaust systems with mounting flange to replace the simple
push in type

At the same time the air box changed to
suck air in from below the filter rather than above, marked in the picture
by the arrows

The rubber boot on the old speedo cable
changed to a screw thread attachment, again in mid 2006.
Bikes in showrooms without these are not new.

Specifications changes during 2007 for
the Ural 750cc

During 2006 the factory employed a western company called HC Concepts
to look carefully at the overall design. HC Concepts went on to redesign
many of the internal gears, bearings, and seals in the engine, gearbox
and final drive. The results can be seen in the 2007 Ural range.
The most significant and obvious change for 2007 is the introduction
of a disc front brake as standard on all sidecar outfits in the range.
Other changes which although virtually unseen from the outside give
a real improvement to the riding experience and reliability.
These changes include all new gearbox internals designed in the west
, new better quality valve timing gear again designed in the west, redesigned
drive shaft with longer and stronger splines, all fasteners are changed
to standard metric sizes, all seals are changed to standard metric sizes.
There are no half way models with only some of the improvements. For
the first half of 2007 it will be possible to buy the old design at
the old price or the updated model at the new and rather more expensive
price.

2007 and the future of the Solo models

During 2006 the factory produced very
few solo models and some of the European dealers waited up to 8 months
to receive their order. Then in October 2006 the factory announced it
would end production of all solo models including the Solo, the Wolf and
the Retro. Many dealers returned their customers deposits and removed
all the solo models from there sales lists. Then in December 2006 the
factory had a change of heart and said it would make all three solo models
in very limited numbers although they would not give any idea of delivery
dates. Most dealers not wanting to get caught in the position of handing
back deposits again have decided not to offer the solo models as they
do not feel the bikes will ever arrive.

Ural 2008/E3 - Many minor changes to reduce
emissions including, air bleed into the exhaust port, larger catalytic
converter, redesigned air box to separate any oil out of the crank case
breather pipe. At the same time the specifications for the Dalesman Gear-up
so this model was supplied with black wheels and trim rather than green.
All 2008/E3 from numbers start X8JL400. The first delivery to the UK started
in July 2008 and the 14th number in the Vin was 9.

Specification changes for 2010

Many minor improvements were introduced
in 2010 including stainless steel exhaust system, handles and other parts
which had previously been chromed. Internally the improvements included
needle roller bearings for the rocker arms starting with frame numbers
with the 10th letter being A. Later in the same year starting with frame
number ending A0219893 all Dalesman models were supplied with alloy wheel
rims to replace the chromed steel rims of the past. Dalesman gear-up models
retained the black steel rims.

Specification changes for 2011

Very late in 2010 disc brake replaced
by NG manufactured disc, still using the Brembo caliper. Light brackets
on sidecar and dashboard surround now painted rather than chrome. In the
UK name changed from Dalesman to Tourist to bring the UK market in to
line with the EU market names. April 2011 Ural Retro with left hand sidecar
launched in the UK.

Specification Changes for 2014

March 2014 saw significant changes to
the whole range. Carburetors replaced by an all new EFI system including
new air box, cylinder heads, etc.
At the same time all wheels got disc brakes, so no drum brakes at all
Oil filter changed to spin on and the whole of the front face of the engine
changed to allow this
Camshaft changed to give even more torque
During 2014 it was possible to buy either the new EFI model from March
at greater cost or the Carb model while the change over occurred at the
old 2013 prices.

2008/E3 new catalytic converter and PAV air valve

2008/E3 Gear-Up model; with black wheels

Other Models based on the Ural 750cc

The Ural Wolf was from about 2000 is
still produced today, it makes an excellent alternative to all the V-twin
custom bikes and actually handles better than you might expect.

The Ural Classic, deserved to do well,
lower seat than the standard solo and better brakes, but for some reason
just didn't sell well and although it is still in production it has now
been discontinued in the UK.

The Ural Retro from late 2005 is a very
rare bike in the UK, partly due to price and partly because it is built
to order so the wait for a new one is a bit much for most buyers. Handsome
though.

Pros and Cons of the 750cc Ural

Good

Bad

Find

Avoid

More power than 650cc
Pulls well when loaded with sidecar
Spares supply easy
Modern switch gear
Electric start